In Wirecast 16, create a Playlist Shot, add your video clips in order, and place an image or media shot between the clips to use as a slate. Give that slate a finite duration, then start the playlist in the Live Broadcast Area and select New Playlist - Completion from the countdown controls to show timing for the current shot and the playlist.
The slate is an ordinary item in the playlist, not a special automatic interstitial feature. The steps below show how to configure the sequence and display its countdowns; they do not guarantee a particular transition behaviour. Check Telestream’s Wirecast 16 User Guide for the documented controls, as labels and behaviour can vary with version.
What this workflow does
A Playlist Shot is an ordered group of shots that you can play as a sequence. That makes it possible to put a slate between two videos: add the slate as another shot in the desired position, just as you would add an image or other media. Wirecast does not require a dedicated “slate” type for this workflow.
There are two separate tasks here. First, arrange and time the playlist items. Second, choose a countdown display while the playlist is running. The display helps you see remaining time for the current shot and for the playlist; it does not create or insert a slate, nor does it alter the sequence for you.
This guide is focused on a pre-arranged sequence in Wirecast 16. If your main concern is the sound between one clip and the next, a separate continuous playlist audio-gap guide addresses that broader production problem. A slate can provide a visual pause, but it does not by itself resolve an audio gap or prove that two media files will hand off exactly as you intend.
Create a Playlist Shot
In a Wirecast layer, click +, choose Shots, select New Playlist Shot, and click Add. The new playlist shot appears in the layer with a playlist badge and a duration. These are the documented controls in the Wirecast 16 guide; if your screen differs, check the guide for your platform and the release notes for your installed version.
A playlist shot is the container for the ordered items. It is not the same thing as placing separate video shots on the main canvas and switching between them manually. Open the playlist’s contents to arrange the items that should play in sequence.
Wirecast lets you add items by dragging clips or shots onto the playlist shot. Alternatively, double-click the playlist shot to open the Playlist tab, then choose Shots > New Shot. Use the method that fits your existing project: dragging can be convenient when you already have shots prepared, while the Playlist tab gives you a place to build and inspect the sequence.
Before adding media, decide which videos belong in this run and where a slate should appear. For example, a local community channel might put a short “Next programme” image between two recorded segments. The order in the playlist is the order you are asking Wirecast to play; the countdown is a display of timing, not a preview of a future sequence change.
Add the video clips in order
Add each video shot to the Playlist Shot, and check the sequence before going live. If a slate should separate the first and second videos, the intended order is video one, slate, video two. If you need several separators, add each slate as its own item at the relevant point in the sequence.
Telestream’s guide describes adding shots and assigning durations. It also notes that clips need a duration assigned, while live sources default to an infinite duration. That distinction matters: a live source with no end time cannot behave like a short, finite interstitial. For a playlist intended to move on through recorded items, review the duration of every item rather than assuming all shots have the same timing.
A useful preparation step is to give each item a recognisable name in your project and inspect the order in the Playlist tab. That makes it easier to distinguish, for example, “opening slate” from “between segments slate” when checking the sequence. Do not rely on the countdown alone to identify an incorrectly ordered item; it tells you about the current timing, not whether the order is editorially right.
There is a limitation worth planning around: Wirecast does not support nested playlists. In practical terms, do not expect to put one playlist inside another to reuse a prepared sequence as a component. Build the required items into the playlist you intend to run.
If you are assembling source material as well as the sequence, the screen recording and YouTube upload walkthrough can help with producing a video file before it is used in a broadcast workflow. It is a separate preparation task; this Wirecast procedure begins once your clips and slate media are ready to add.
Prepare and insert a slate shot
A slate can be a still image or a short media clip. Choose an image when the viewer only needs to read a title, programme note or “back shortly” message. Choose a media shot if the interstitial needs motion or audio. Telestream documents images and videos among playlist content types; the decision between a still and a clip is a production choice, not a special playlist mode.
Prepare the slate as a shot in Wirecast, then add it to the Playlist Shot between the relevant video shots. If the slate already exists as a shot, drag it into the intended position. If you are creating it from the Playlist tab, use the available Shots > New Shot workflow and select or prepare the appropriate media for that shot. The exact appearance of menus may differ by platform or version, so use the Wirecast guide if an item is not where expected.
Keep the slate legible at the size it will appear in the live programme. A short message with a clear title is easier to read than several lines of small text, particularly for viewers watching on a phone. If the slate contains a start time or other information that can become stale, check it before each broadcast rather than leaving an old image in a recurring sequence.
A slate is not an instruction to Wirecast to wait for the next clip indefinitely, and it is not a transition effect. It is simply a playlist item with a duration. Likewise, inserting it does not guarantee that the outgoing video fades, that the slate is held for a precise perceptual interval, or that the incoming video begins with a particular visual transition. Verify the actual sequence in a test run before relying on it for a scheduled programme.
Set a finite slate duration
If the slate should give way to the next playlist item, set a finite duration for it. In the playlist, right-click the slate item and choose Modify Duration. Enter the intended display time and click OK. The guide describes this command for modifying a playlist shot’s duration.
Choose the duration based on what the viewer needs to do. A brief separator may need only enough time to signal a change of segment; a slate with a longer announcement needs longer for viewers to read. Telestream does not prescribe a universal slate duration, so do not treat any example time as a recommended standard. Your text length, audience and programme pace are the relevant considerations.
Pay attention to the scope of the duration change. Apply to All changes durations beyond the one item you are editing; avoid selecting it unless you really intend to change every playlist item. If the videos have their own desired timing, changing all durations could replace that timing as well as the slate’s.
After setting the duration, inspect the playlist again. Confirm that the slate sits between the correct videos and that you changed the slate rather than an adjacent item. A finite duration is a setup choice that allows the sequence to proceed according to the configured item timing; it is not a guarantee of an exact transition or of how playback will look in every circumstance.
| Slate choice | Useful when | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Still image | The message is static and needs no sound or motion | Readability at the live output size and the finite duration |
| Short media clip | The interstitial needs motion or audio | Its assigned duration and how its audio meets the surrounding clips |
| Short hold | The slate is only a quick visual separator | Whether the message can be read before the next item begins |
| Longer hold | Viewers need time to read details | Whether the longer pause fits the pace of the programme |
The table compares production choices, not Wirecast presets. There is no single duration that fits every slate, and the countdown display does not choose a duration on your behalf.
Play the playlist in the Live Broadcast Area
When the playlist order and item durations are ready, start the Playlist Shot in the Live Broadcast Area. This is the relevant area for seeing the playlist in the live output context. Check the preview and the order during a controlled test before depending on the sequence for a long broadcast.
Watch through the point where the first video ends, the slate appears and the next video begins. This checks more than the timer: it lets you confirm that the right slate is visible, that its text is readable, and that the surrounding media behaves as expected in your project. If you hear a gap, unexpected audio or a change at the wrong point, investigate the item timing and media itself rather than assuming the countdown mode will correct it.
Do not delete shots while the playlist is running. Telestream’s guide notes that modifying a running playlist in that way is not supported. Make sequence changes before starting, or stop the run and adjust the playlist as needed. This is especially useful for a channel that has to remain unattended: a last-minute edit to a live sequence is a poor substitute for checking it first.
For a 24/7 channel, Wirecast’s local playback workflow is only one part of the operating plan. Your computer and broadcast setup need to remain available for the duration you intend to run. If your actual goal is a pre-rendered file playing continuously while your own computer is switched off, that is a different operating need: StreamNeo removes that specific need to keep your computer running by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream, with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It is YouTube-only, and this mention is not a claim about Wirecast’s playlist behaviour.
For a broader comparison of continuous channel approaches, see how to keep a 24/7 kirtan stream running on an Indian cloud VPS. That article concerns a different operating setup; it is useful when deciding whether you need to operate Wirecast continuously or want to consider another workflow, not as a substitute for configuring the playlist described here.
Show the playlist completion countdown
With the playlist playing in the Live Broadcast Area, click the countdown gear icon beneath that area. Choose New Playlist - Completion. In the documented Wirecast 16 workflow, this mode shows a countdown for the current shot and a countdown for the playlist.
The two clocks answer different questions. The current-shot countdown is about the item that is playing now; the playlist countdown concerns the remaining playlist sequence. If you only want to watch the current item, select the current shot name instead of New Playlist - Completion. These are display choices; selecting a countdown mode does not add a slate, set its duration or guarantee a transition at a particular instant.
Use the playlist completion view as an operational aid. It can help you see whether a slate or segment is approaching its configured end, but it is not a substitute for checking the media, item order and duration values. If a countdown seems inconsistent with playback, note the installed Wirecast version and compare its behaviour with the current documentation and release history before making assumptions about the cause.
Telestream’s version history lists Wirecast releases and fixes, including entries relating to countdown clocks and media playback. Release details can change, so check the current page against the version you have installed. The research for this guide identifies Wirecast 16.5.3 in the history, but this workflow does not depend on claiming that a specific release will behave identically on every system.
Before relying on the playlist overnight or for a scheduled broadcast, run it long enough to observe the slate and the next clip, and verify the countdown display you intend to use. A short rehearsal can expose a misplaced item, an unintended duration change or a message that needs more reading time. Keep a copy of the final sequence notes with your programme materials if another person may need to inspect it.
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FAQ
Does Wirecast insert a slate automatically between playlist videos?
No. Add an image or media shot to the Playlist Shot at the position where you want it. It is an ordinary playlist item, so you must prepare and place it yourself.
How do I make the playlist move on after the slate?
Right-click the slate item, choose Modify Duration, and set a finite display time. The setting is not a guarantee of a particular transition; test the sequence in the Live Broadcast Area.
Which countdown should I choose to see the playlist finish timing?
While the playlist is playing in the Live Broadcast Area, click the countdown gear and select New Playlist - Completion. It displays the current-shot and playlist countdowns; choose the current shot name if you only need the current item’s countdown.
Can I put a playlist inside another playlist?
No. Telestream’s Wirecast 16 guide says nested playlists are unsupported. Put the required clips and slate directly into the playlist you intend to run, and check its order before playback.